100% McGree can not start as defensive centre mid surely to God, he's closer to being a winger or number 10 than an english number 4 in the centre. Howson, McNair or Crooks would be our only options there you would think.
Payero may be fit? McNair is banned for the first game too.
We will sign Steffen I'm sure.
We will bring in a LCB, Greaves from Hull I would guess of those linked currently or Alese from West Ham on loan?
Two strikers at least, probably (hopefully) three from: Gyokeres, Riis, Joao, Armstrong, Henry, Archer, Rhodes, Gayle
Smith will sign at RWB cover probably, and cover on the left if Coulson moves on and/or Bola
DMC loan hopefully too (Hamza Choudhury?) as I don't think we have enough power, athleticism, aggression and legs in the centre IMO.
So six or seven more, maybe a few after that if anyone leaves.
Posted the other day, but I hope we can line up something like this, none of these are nailed on starters really, just two per position.
First XI
-------------------------Steffen------------------------
-------------Dijksteel---Lenihan-----Greaves--------
---------Crooks-----Choudhury*-----Tavernier--------
---Jones ----------------------------------------Giles---
----------------Riis/Henry---Armstrong---------------
Second XI
---------------------------Roberts--------------------------
-----------------McNair----Fry----Alese**-------------------
------------Payero------Howson------McGree----------
----Smith---------------------------------Bola/Coulson----
----------------------Joao-----Watmore-------------------
*no idea really, just thought he'd be a good fit when we were linked, and think Howson lacks a bit to be starting most games this season.
** or Bilongo if he's not loaned in.
I should add......
We would need to move on Daniels, Hall, Akpom, Uche, Coulson or Bola by the sounds of things and maybe loan a few of the young ones out.
Taylor, Bamba and Peltier made quite a lot of appearances last season so we definitely need some cover for them.
